What are the biggest risks men take when getting married?

[Vegasrunner]

[AviatorTom]

Let me answer this by example. When my wife and I amicably divorced after 20 years of marriage, my retirement fund was cut in half, as she received half of it. I had no problem with us splitting our bank accounts and our real estate, but losing a lot of my retirement was hard to take..

[MrChinaski]

Is 50-50 the norm there? Here factors like contributions and future needs are relevant considerations.

[AviatorTom]

@bddddd Those are considerations in the US as well. Since our kids were grown, child support was not a concern. In addition to splitting assets down the middle, I also paid her alimony for 7 years (one year for every 3 years we were married) to offset the difference in her and my salaries.

[MrChinaski]

Rough end of the pineapple!

[MrChinaski]

We kept our individual retirement savings as they were vaguely the same. I paid out school fees and 30% of the family home.

A lot of nastiness was, regrettably, involved. I think it was a fair outcome... we both hurt evenly. Now we are best friends again.

[Finchie40]

Finding out they were lying to you and keeping secrets from you after they are married to you

[Bitter_Sweet94]

Marriage comes with emotional, financial, and lifestyle risks for anyone.

For men specifically, it can mean taking on shared responsibility for finances, family decisions, and long term commitments.

The bigger risk is investing deeply without alignment, if values, communication, or intentions don’t match, the fallout can be heavy.

It’s less about gender and more about compatibility and readiness.

[Vegasrunner]

@bitter_sweet94 Women dont take financial risks in marriage.

[Bitter_Sweet94]

That’s not accurate.

Many women take financial risks in marriage, just in different forms.

Career pauses for pregnancy or childcare, reduced earning potential, relocation for a partner’s job, unpaid emotional and domestic labor, and the financial vulnerability that comes with joint assets or dependency.

Risk isn’t only about who pays the bills.

It’s also about opportunity cost, lost time, and long term security.

When a marriage fails, women statistically recover slower financially, not because they didn’t contribute, but because their contributions are often invisible or unpaid.

Marriage carries risk for both partners.

Pretending only one side bears it oversimplifies a very real, shared responsibility.

[Vegasrunner]

@bitter_sweet94 if they can "pause" then its not a risk.

[Bitter_Sweet94]

A pause can still be a risk when there’s no guarantee of a safe return.

Stepping out of the workforce often means skill atrophy, lost seniority, slower wage growth, and reduced retirement security.

You don’t get to “unpause” time, compound interest, or missed opportunities.

Risk isn’t defined by intention, it’s defined by exposure to loss.

If the relationship ends, the consequences of that pause don’t disappear.

That’s precisely why it is a risk.

[Vegasrunner]

@bitter_sweet94 All of that is false. The divorce system is literally set up to compensate women for that pause. What you just outlined was the risk men take.

[whiskeyontherocks]

Security mostly financial but a lot of emotional, social etc. I’ve seen to much of the worst. it’s hard for me to believe anyone should actually get married.

[ABC1x1x]

In America? 100% Orlando the risk for 0% reward. This is why American men are not getting married or they are marriage east Asians and south east Asians.

[Anonymous]

Too much to list here. The risks to men of marrying today's women are huge.

[molonski2]

Massive financial risk , massive emotional risk.

[Purpleronnie]

I have no intention of ever finding out

[Anonymous]

Your psycho ex-spouse takes everything you have and owned.

[WonderingManII]

She divorces and takes everything.

[dudeinohio]

financial consequences if there is a divorce.

[Anonymous]

No prenuptial agreement

[Olgaa334]

Being together for the rest of the life

[Kelly6]

Financial

[MrChinaski]

Monogamy.

[Anonymous]

That they marry the wrong person

[robocop666]

Finance

[SazidRahman]

Dowry